Tag Archives: Stuffed Mushrooms

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Whenever I go to a party that I’m not hosting, I make sure to bring something on the healthier side with me. This doubles as a 1) a nice gesture, and 2) a backup option for when there aren’t a lot of foods being served that I want to eat. Successful moderation and healthy eating is all about being prepared, and I find that being ready with a healthy dish in social situations helps me balance out the not so great for me snacks and indulgences that I know I’ll have too.

So while everyone else is posting recipes for nachos and chicken wings this week, I want to post a different kind of recipe for you. These Mediterranean stuffed mushrooms are the perfect healthier appetizer to make for whatever Super Bowl party you are going to this weekend. I think stuffed mushrooms are a crowd pleaser too. Don’t people always seem to get weirdly excited about them? Just make sure to call them Mediterranean stuffed mushrooms instead of quinoa stuffed mushrooms, and you’ll be all set. Nobody will judge you for not bringing along a ranch dip or 4 bags of Doritos.

Mediterranean Stuffed Mushrooms

Makes a dozen stuffed mushrooms

Ingredients

12 large cremini mushrooms, wiped clean with a damp paper towel and with stems removed

1/2 cup quinoa, cooked per package directions

1/2 cup red onion, diced

1/2 cup walnuts, cut or crushed into small pieces

1/2 cup white wine

1 tbsp parsley

1 tbsp dill

2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

2 extra virgin olive oil

Zest of 1 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Cooking spray of choice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray, then arrange the mushrooms with the holes facing down. Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the mushrooms, and season with salt and paper. Bake for 15 minutes.

While the mushrooms are baking, mix the cooked quinoa, the diced red onion, walnuts, white wine, parsley, dill, sun-dried tomatoes, crumbled feta, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

When the mushrooms finish cooking and have cooled, stuff them by scooping a spoonful of the quinoa mixture into each cap. Top with extra feta if desired.

Bake again in an oven preheated to 350 for 10-12 minutes or until heated through.

Although stuffed mushrooms are made with a veggie base, a lot of the time they use a creamy filling to bind the stuffing ingredients together. I like that this recipe is light and doesn’t need that. The lemon zest brings out a nice flavor among all the other Mediterranean based ingredients, and the quinoa is a healthier protein-packed substitution for bread crumbs. Plus, you can never go wrong with feta! I made these for Friendsgiving at Slesh and Will’s apartment last year, and everyone gobbled them right up.

This recipe yields 12 stuffed mushrooms, but just a warning, it definitely makes more stuffing than necessary. I ate the leftover stuffing up for lunch the next day as a Mediterranean quinoa salad, and it was delicious! You could also double the amount of mushroom caps if you want to use up the rest of the stuffing and bring a larger quantity of stuffed shrooms along.

Enjoy!

Readers, let’s chat! What are you doing for the Super Bowl this weekend? What’s a must have Super Bowl food or snack in your home?

If you’re looking for more Super Bowl food ideas, check out our Super Bowl party menu from when we hosted two years ago.

Last night Tim and I enjoyed a lovely dinner at G’Vanni’s Ristorante in the North End. We bought a BuyWithMe deal back in the day and realized it was going to expire this week. We didn’t want our $20 for $50 worth of food to go to waste!

The restaurant was really cute! A little small, but I expect that from restaurants in the North End. One thing I did not like about the restaurant was how close some of their tables were. Our table for two was literally two inches away from the table for two next to us – it was kind of like sitting at a table for four! The original couple sitting near us actually left because they didn’t like how close they were to us (we showered, I promise!) but the close table proximity was not enough to keep me from staying. Once we got used to it, we barely noticed the people next to us.

Along the walls, the restaurant had bottles of wine, jars of tomato sauce, and other fun things. I thought that was cool.

Last night I decided to actually go through with my “one out of three” advice and only order either bread, dessert, or alcohol, but not all three. I decided on bread.

After the bread came out, we ordered stuffed mushrooms for an appetizer. I was so excited to try them that I burned my tongue on the first bite. They were delicious!

After a lot of back and forth on what to order, I decided to try something completely different than what I normally would get. I went with pumpkin raviolis served in a burnt butter sage sauce. They tasted so good (I love pumpkin flavored things!) and were perfect for a chilly fall night. Even though they were tasty, I think the pumpkin flavor was a little TOO much by my last ravioli. I actually think that this dish would make a better appetizer than a full entree. But don’t worry, I did manage to eat them all!

Our Sunday night date at G’Vanni’s was the perfect end to the weekend. I will be adding G’Vanni’s to my new “Bars & Restaurants” page – make sure to check it out! Also, I did some playing around yesterday and am trying out a new layout for Fitness & Feta. Did you notice it? Click here and let me know what you think! Feedback welcome.

Coming soon: Post on Kerri & Matt’s wedding – what a fun time!

Question of the Day: What is your favorite restaurant in the North End? Please comment!

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Welcome! I'm Athena, a twenty-something corporate wellness coordinator, personal trainer, and fitness instructor living in the Boston area. I am passionate about helping women feel empowered to lift heavy weights and treat themselves with self compassion. I believe that strength is contagious and healthy living lets people become their happiest and best version of themselves. I also love awkward moments, trying new restaurants, and eating organically/locally when possible. Oh yeah, and drinking wine too. Thanks for stopping by!

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Disclaimer

I am a certified personal trainer (ACSM) and certified group fitness instructor (AFAA); however the ideas I express in Fitness & Feta are mine alone, based on my own experiences, and should not be taken as medical advice. This blog is simply meant to guide you toward a healthier path and inspire you. I do NOT photograph everything I eat.